Certainly! Agreed as I said before - to each their own, right?
And sure! If you take care of that Klein and it'll last a long time.
Really though? You only use 20 feet of wire in a build? I use almost that just for the black ground wiring! I've built about 15 amplifiers and 6 preamps, and used about 400 feet of just the black wire so far 🙂 Also not sure wil MIL spec wire is required in a home built tube amp but it's whatever I guess - you're money, not mine 🙂
Of course I can buy 15 pairs of entry level cutters for the cost of one pair of Klein. Better value especially since I've has a pair of "Duramax PRO" cutters from Dollarama going for 3 years including aforementioned cutting of steel coat hanger - they cost 4$CAD a pair...
my "good" cutters are Speedwox, and Wotu. For larger stuff I use an angle grinder with a cut off wheel.
And sure! If you take care of that Klein and it'll last a long time.
Really though? You only use 20 feet of wire in a build? I use almost that just for the black ground wiring! I've built about 15 amplifiers and 6 preamps, and used about 400 feet of just the black wire so far 🙂 Also not sure wil MIL spec wire is required in a home built tube amp but it's whatever I guess - you're money, not mine 🙂
Of course I can buy 15 pairs of entry level cutters for the cost of one pair of Klein. Better value especially since I've has a pair of "Duramax PRO" cutters from Dollarama going for 3 years including aforementioned cutting of steel coat hanger - they cost 4$CAD a pair...
my "good" cutters are Speedwox, and Wotu. For larger stuff I use an angle grinder with a cut off wheel.
I'd like to piggyback my question on this thread. I have a 3C24 tube that discolors the fiberglass insulation that I used on the plate and grid leads (top and side connections) I guess from the combination of heat and light. The wire is 18 AWG and I used some slip on fiberglass insulation mostly for looks but it looks pretty shabby after two years. I have some Kapton insulated wire that looks good and seems like it will hold up to the conditions better. It is twisted pair Mil-Spec stuff but in 22 AWG. If I use both, combining the two 22 g wires, am I safe in using that to replace the single 18 AWG wire? My Plate voltage is 400V.
I am not concerned with the ability of the insulation to keep the leads isolated. I am really just concerned with whether two x 22awg wires will have adequate current carrying capacity as well as keeping up appearances since these wires are front and center.
According to the attached chart, 18 AWG is only good for about 2A, 16AWG would be better. You can use enameled wire for heater wiring, as long as it's properly rated. Another way to do it is to use solid copper wire in sleeving, or just use heatshrink. Offcuts of mains wire, twin & earth, here in the UK can often be found in skips, it makes excellent bus wires and 2.5mm would definitely handle the current. Andy.
All looks very impressive & well put together.
But your friendly insurance company might see your rig as a serious risk factor. 🙂
As a start the plate leads to the Hg rectifiers are an open shock hazard to children & the inexperienced. And that just the beginning.
And there are already too many underemployed, young & eager hotshot lawyers to keep gainfully employed.
The insurance adjuster comes in after the incident. Many insurance companies now employ the services of risk accessors at the front end.
This way of thinking might be right for an electrician but doesn`t fit at all when it comes to reproducing a music signal. We need to think different, make
big headroom (like 10x) to avoid any dynamic compression.
Engineers has done this wrong for deacades.
But in the meantime Engineers & Physicists provided us with all the tools & products we use now, every day.
Yours truly, a P,Eng , 60 yrs this coming January. And a hands on tech before that. And proud of it.👍
Attachments
After wandering far afield, any help with my piggyback question?
"I have a 3C24 tube that discolors the fiberglass insulation that I used on the plate and grid leads (top and side connections) I guess from the combination of heat and light. The wire is 18 AWG and I used some slip on fiberglass insulation mostly for looks but it looks pretty shabby after two years. I have some Kapton insulated wire that looks good and seems like it will hold up to the conditions better. It is twisted pair Mil-Spec stuff but in 22 AWG. If I use both, combining the two 22 g wires, am I safe in using that to replace the single 18 AWG wire? My Plate voltage is 400V."
Other suggestions welcome!
"I have a 3C24 tube that discolors the fiberglass insulation that I used on the plate and grid leads (top and side connections) I guess from the combination of heat and light. The wire is 18 AWG and I used some slip on fiberglass insulation mostly for looks but it looks pretty shabby after two years. I have some Kapton insulated wire that looks good and seems like it will hold up to the conditions better. It is twisted pair Mil-Spec stuff but in 22 AWG. If I use both, combining the two 22 g wires, am I safe in using that to replace the single 18 AWG wire? My Plate voltage is 400V."
Other suggestions welcome!
A single 30 gauge would be fine... more than adequate for the plate current. But adequate insulation rating is essential - silicone HV wire withstands high temperature. What's the voltage rating of the Kapton insulated wire?
And claiming "dynamic compression" from wire resistance in the milliOhms is bovine excrement.
And claiming "dynamic compression" from wire resistance in the milliOhms is bovine excrement.
The ignored elephant in the room is wiring layout
Mains wire is typically laid side by side, read that as "in intimate contact", for tens or even hundred meters, inside unventilated conduit inside walls or under floor, etc.
Mains wiring is also expected to survive lightning strikes on cross-country power lines.
Didn't read specs lately but from faint memory standard 300V wire (designed for 120-249V Mains) is actually tested to (and expected to survive) 1000V or 1500V peaks or DC, at least for brief times (search and read datasheets yourself).
I bet that explains "300V" wiring survival (time tested for decades now) inside chassis: separated by lots of air (much better insulator than actual "plastic" coating) and also with lots of air around to carry heat away.
Unless you tightly wrap twisted wires carrying high current and differential high voltage inside a common sleeve of tape or heat shrink tube, you should be fine.
Mains wire is typically laid side by side, read that as "in intimate contact", for tens or even hundred meters, inside unventilated conduit inside walls or under floor, etc.
Mains wiring is also expected to survive lightning strikes on cross-country power lines.
Didn't read specs lately but from faint memory standard 300V wire (designed for 120-249V Mains) is actually tested to (and expected to survive) 1000V or 1500V peaks or DC, at least for brief times (search and read datasheets yourself).
I bet that explains "300V" wiring survival (time tested for decades now) inside chassis: separated by lots of air (much better insulator than actual "plastic" coating) and also with lots of air around to carry heat away.
Unless you tightly wrap twisted wires carrying high current and differential high voltage inside a common sleeve of tape or heat shrink tube, you should be fine.